If I Could Poem by Jacob Wharton

If I could love you
Subtly until the day
Our hearts entwine,
If I could wait
And anticipate
And never whine
And live in sunshine,
If I could set aside
My feelings for you
For another day,
If I could control them
Anyway,

I would, darling.

But if I could steal
Your love and
Make it mine,
If I could intoxicate
You with imperfect rhyme,
If I could more clearly
Define
What you mean to me,
If I could better appeal
To your ideal,
If I could heal,
If I could heal you,

I would have, darling.

Now if you could
Be so bold, be so cold
As to mold my heart
To your whim,
If you would trim
My passion and my hymn
With passive neglect,
If you would inject
Me with false hopes,
Hang me on the ropes,
If you would hold
My love upon the
Threshold,

I would leave, darling.

But if you could
Take me into your life,
If you could forgive me
For every rife,
Inevitable strife,
If you could every day
Meet me halfway,
If you could hold my hand
When it's old and gray,
And sing to me and
Carry my soul away,

I would forever be yours, and yours alone, darling.